Nature of Terms:
In an analysis of classification terminology, Prasad (1986) had identified three types of terms - normative, fundamental and associative. Normative terms are operative in nature and prescribe the procedure and help identify the expected quality of the operations that would result from such prescriptions. Example: Canon of Differentiation. Fundamental terms, on the other hand, define the basic concepts which are germane to the very nature of classification process. Examples: Division, Characteristics. In their turn, associative terms are those which extend the, meaning of the fundamental terms into different contextual levels for discussion and operation in classification research. Example: Open-ended array.
Thus, there are in all 514 technical terms used in the three editions of the Prolegomena. These terns have been distributed in the three planes of work- Idea Plane (298 terms), Verbal Plane (35 terms) and Notational Plane (181 terms). In addition to the terms, many new terms and refinement of old terms have resulted due to the work undertaken at DRTC (Documentation Research and Training Centre) by Ranganathan and his followers.
Further, the interdisciplinary nature of classification called for coordination of epistemological, logical, psychological, mathematical, linguistic and sociological concepts and terms in papers and discussion at the Third International. Study Conference on Classification Research held at Bombay in 1975. The universality of classification concepts, then- capability to interconnect several diversified approaches to classification and ordering of knowledge were discussed at the conference. "International Classification" (now called Knowledge Organisation), a periodical publication from Frankfurt, West Germany began work pertaining to the consolidation of terminology occurring in classification literature. Classification vocabulary started getting refined further and made extensive use of concepts pertaining to Systems Theory, Computer Science, Communication Theory, etc. FID/CR (Committee on Classification Research) brought out several country reports at this juncture and Bliss's Classification Group brought out several depth versions of the scheme.